The Power in the Flower
by McLance
Summary: This is a return of Beth, and the four guys, and her involvement in nearby community challenges, that would have been prevalent in the 1960's. Best to read this after reading "Over My Shoulder" first.
1. Chapter 1

The Ajax General Market. At first that's all it was. Just an average-sized supermarket. Up the beach, and over five blocks

from the pad. But, more about that, (the Ajax General Market), later on.

I, Beth, had been living with the guys for about two months now. Gramps was still at the rehabilitation center, though he was

making progress. I'd started school, at Lincoln Heights Junior High, which was within walking distance. To me, though, once you

reached the city streets, and got to the area where the school was located, and you left the beach behind, well, it was like a

different world.

Things were still going well with me living there. I got on well with all of the guys, and had my own sort of relationship

with all four of them. After the night that the police officers had visited the pad, a social worker had been assigned to

the case. At first, when I found out that that was happening, I got really upset. I figured that it meant that I wasn't going to

be able to stay with the guys, and would have to go to foster care after all.

I'd even run all the way down the beach when I found out, and in the dark to boot. I'd been sitting on the big

boulder where Pete and I sat at sometimes together. All of the fellows had come out hunting for

me, and I'd heard them calling my name up and down the beach.

Peter was the one to find me first. He'd been running thru the sand, because he was breathing harder than usual.

I was sitting on the boulder, with my knees tucked up, and my arms wrapped around them.

To his credit, Pete reacted in his typical, easy-going way. He sat down on the rock beside me, and was quiet for a long

few minutes. He didn't immediately get onto me for running off, and worrying everybody. I guess he figured he would leave

that to Davy, or to Mike.

Anyway, after a few minutes of silence, he said, "You ran out before you heard the rest of what Davy said."

"I heard enough. I'm getting a social worker. That means foster care," I said shortly, rocking back and forth.

"Not this time, that's not what it means."

I turned to look at him in the dark. I could only make out a bit of his profile from the lights shining up above on the strip.

"What?" I asked, feeling my heart leap a bit.

"They're giving the social worker, to keep an eye on you, and make sure you're doing okay. To make sure we're taking good

care of you. She's not around to take you away."

"Honest?" I said, breathless.

"Of course."

I felt the tempest inside of me begin to settle. "Oh, wow," I said, really softly. "That's amazing."

"Yeah," Peter said, in quiet agreement.

MMPD

Pete said we needed to get walking back to the pad, that the rest of the guys were worried, and that even Belinda was

out scouring the beach and nearby streets for me. We were walking along, and he was holding my hand, when we

heard my name being called out again.

"Here!" Peter said, raising his voice to call back.

It was Micky and Belinda, and they both rushed up, asking if I was alright, and all of that.

I told them I was fine, and Micky said, "What'd you do that for? Run out like that?"

"I thought, well, you know," I said, vaguely.

"Yeah. I know," Micky said, with a sigh. "I'm just glad you're alright."

"Thanks, Mick," I said.

"We'd better get you back," Belinda said. "Davy's about to go completely bonkers."

At the thought of Davy, worrying that way about me, I felt guilt wash over me in waves.

"I'd better find him, and talk to him," I said.

"You'd better," Belinda agreed, and laughed a little. "Or he's going to be bald, from yanking out his hair in worry."

I knew she was joking, and trying to lighten the mood, but it only reinforced my guilt.

By now we were nearly to the beach just adjacent to the pad. There were more lights here, and I could see Mike

standing there, talking to some of the other neighbors.

"Oh, golly," I said, my stomach dropping even lower, "Were the Taylor's out looking for me, too?"

"They were at my place when Davy popped over," Belinda said. "They wanted to help."

I could tell that the Taylor's, along with Mike, were deciding where to look next, because they were pointing down

the opposite direction of the beach.

By now, we'd been spotted. By the Taylor's. And, by Mike.

"There you are," Mrs. Taylor gushed. "My goodness, you've had these boys worried."

After a few minutes of conversation, when Mike said that Davy had gone the other direction, Micky

spoke up and said, "I'll go find him and let him know we found Beth."

"Good idea," Mike said.

"I'll go along with you," Belinda said, to Micky, and then with a slight smile at me, she went with Micky.

That left me, Pete, Mike, and Mr. and Mrs. Taylor standing there.

"Well, we'll go on along, since we know you're alright," Mrs. Taylor said to me.

"Thank you," Mike told them, as they walked away.

And, then, he turned to look at me. I couldn't really judge his expression, as to whether he was mad at me, or not.

"I was worried-" I started to explain. "I thought the social worker-"

"I know," Mike interrupted me. "You shouldn't have run off like that, though."

I looked at him, tremulously. I would have apologized, but he looked at Peter then, and said, "Well," in a

sort of drawn-out way.

"Yeah," Peter said, in reply, seeming to know just what Mike meant.

Mike turned around and started walking back towards the stairs leading to the pad. I still had ahold of Peter's hand, and

I said, anxiously, "Should I go look for Davy, do you think?"

"I wouldn't," Mike answered, without turning around. "Let Micky tell him you're alright. You'd do better just

stayin' here and waitin' for him."

So we three started up the stairs. Mike in front, me in the middle, and Peter at the end.

"I'm sorry," I said, including both of them in my apology.

"We know," Pete said.

"I was just so scared," I went on, as we reached the sliding doors going into the pad, and Mike opened them. He ushered me and Peter

in ahead of him, and then closed them again.

Pete went off toward the kitchen, and Mike went to pick up his guitar, sitting on the sofa.

He began to strum chords, but said nothing.

Into the uncomfortable silence, I said, "I'm sorry, Mike."

He let his hand rest on the guitar strings, and looked up at me.

"I get it," he said. "We're cool."

I felt relieved. Hugely. Still, the worst was yet to come. Davy, ever since he'd met me on the beach that first

day, had become my protector. Well, all the guys did that, but Davy, well, Davy seemed to have jumped into this whole

'guardian' thing with both feet.

I found that I couldn't settle. I kept going to the doors and looking out, to see if I could see Davy heading back with

Micky and Belinda.

"Relax," Mike said.

I tried. I went to sit beside him on the couch, while Pete perched himself sideways in the chair. When we heard voices and

steps coming, I sat up straighter. The doors opened, and Davy came in, Micky behind him.

Davy came forward, and I stood up, taking a few steps, and we 'met in the middle', so to speak.

"You're alright?" he asked me.

"Yes."

Davy reached out and grabbed me, hugging me hard. Just as suddenly, he pushed back.

"You gave me a fright," he said, his hands on my shoulders.

"I'm sorry," I said, feeling as though I'd said it a bunch already. "I thought it meant I was going to have to

go to foster care-and have to leave you guys-"

"Yeah, I know. That's not what it is, though-" he began to explain.

"I know that now. Pete explained it to me," I said.

He was still looking at me, and I reacted in what felt natural to me. I flung my arms around his neck and

hugged him again.

"I wasn't running off, or anything," I was assuring him. "I was just trying to think, is all."

"Okay," he said. "But, you can't do it that way. Promise."

I'd promised him. And, I'd meant it, too.

MMPD


	2. Pete the Bodyguard

When it was back to school night at my junior high, all four of the guys went, so they could meet my teachers. We made sort of an

unusual group walking in. Most kids were with either their mother, or their father, but not that many even had both parents at the

same time with them. So, here I come, with four, skinny, early 20's aged, guys with long hair.

I'd gotten used to it for the most part, but this particular night brought it back to the forefront for me, since a couple of

the teachers were obviously curious.

It amused me to see one of them flirting with Davy, and another one openly trying to snap Mike up.

After we'd made the rounds of several classrooms, there was still quite a crowd, and I told the guys that we

could go home, that we didn't have to go to the last two rooms.

"No," Davy insisted, "We told your grandfather that we'd make certain we met all the teachers. Every one of them."

"Well, do I have to go?" I asked. "I'm thirsty. I want to get a soda from the machine."

"Naw. Go on," Davy told me.

'I'll go with you," Mike told him, and so Micky, Pete and I said we'd see them outside in a few minutes, and we

all went our way.

We weaved our way thru the throng of parents and kids, to where the soda machine was located. Micky put quarters in,

and got all three of us a bottle of pop.

We went outside where it was cooler. At least a bit. It was starting to get dusk by now, and the lights around the school yard

began to come on.

I was sitting there, on one of the stone steps with Peter, not really thinking about anything in particular, when I

saw Sasha. She was walking up the steps, and into the school building. There was a woman with her, younger looking than

a mom, really.

"Well, Beth," she said, pausing. "How have you been?"

There was ice in her tone. Hatred. Anger. I knew she had to have a case on me, for ratting her out to the police about

the house robbery and all. But, I'd thought she would be in a juvenile detention somewhere. What were the chances she'd

be here already, at the exact same school that I was attending? It had only been a couple of months. Was she in the clear already

with the law?

I lowered my pop bottle from my lips, my stomach clenched into instant nerves.

I didn't answer her right off. I didn't know what to say, even.

Since both Pete and Micky knew what Sasha looked like, I could feel them go onto high alert.

Sasha took in my startled, silent appearance, and smirked. "I can tell you're surprised to see me, huh?"

"Yeah," I managed.

"Let's go, Beth," Micky said, obviously trying to move me out of Sasha's line of fire.

"Okay," I said, standing up, and starting to follow Micky down the stairs, Peter behind me.

"I'm starting school here soon," Sasha said. "So, we'll probably be seeing each other around a lot."

That thought of that made my blood run cold. I paused, staring at her.

"Come on," Pete said, really softly, giving me a gentle nudge to start me on my way again.

"Bye, Beth," Sasha called after me, falsely cheerful.

I, of course, didn't answer her. We were nearly to the parking lot, and I stopped walking, looking back. There was

no sign of Sasha, or the woman that had been with her. They must have gone inside the school.

I threw my pop bottle into a nearby trash container, and wrapped my arms around myself, feeling sort of cold.

"Great," I said, low, in sarcasm. "Just great."

"Don't let her get to you," Micky advised. "Go your way, and let her go hers."

"Easy to say," I said. "Not so easy to accomplish."

I gave them both a glance. They were looking serious, and Pete's forehead was lined with concern.

"What's she doing here?" I asked, even though I knew they wouldn't have an answer. "She should be in juvenile

detention, or something."

Mike and Davy were walking our way, so we got ready to leave. On the way home in the car, thru the wind blowing in the windows,

Davy said that my teachers said I was doing well, and all of that. One of them had apparently told he and Mike that I

seemed to be a "shy" sort of girl.

"Just because I don't get loud in class like some of the other kids," I said, in complaint. "She has to say that I'm shy."

"There's nothing wrong with being quiet, or even shy," Pete told me. I was sitting in the back seat, between him and

Micky.

"I know."

"And don't worry about that Sasha girl," Pete went on.

"What's this?" Davy asked, turning sideways to look into the back seat at us.

"We saw Sasha," I told him. "She says she's coming to school here."

"Whaaat?" Davy asked, sort of drawing out the word. He was shocked, I could see.

"I know," I said. "I never would have thought of this happening. Not in a million years."

"Right," Davy said, in agreement, turning to face forward again.

MMPD

When I got ready to walk to school the next morning, Peter announced he was walking along with me.

"How come?" I asked curiously, shifting my bag over my shoulder.

"I feel like a walk," he said, in an off-hand way.

As we set off down the beach together, we talked about general things. Peter was asking me about the book

we were reading for our English class. 'A Tree Grows in Brooklynn.' So we talked about that, and what we both thought

about the book.

When we were nearly up to the front of the school building, I stopped to look at him, while other kids were swarming around us,

going inside.

"I'll see you later," I said. "When I get home from school."

The pad was already 'home' to me.

"Okay. Or," he said, in a casual way, "I might come back at three, to walk home with you."

"How come?" I asked again.

"No particular reason," he said.

"It's because of Sasha, isn't it?" I accused. "You're thinking she's going to do something."

"I never gave her a second thought," Peter denied.

If I hadn't been standing there, in front of my school, where bunches of kids were walking by, I would have thrown

my arms around him and hugged him. Hard. He was always looking out for me. Even when he denied that that was what he was doing.

I settled for giving him a mock-stern look. "You're fibbing right now," I said.

"I'll see you later," he said. "Better get in, before you're late."

"Pete, you don't need to walk back and forth with me."

He turned around to walk away, and then faced me again, walking backwards. He flashed me the Peace sign, and a grin.

MMPD


	3. A show and a boy

I didn't see Sasha anywhere around school that day. Though, as I reminded myself, it's a really big school. Just as promised,

Pete was waiting for me after school, sitting on one of the benches along the school wall.

"Hey, there," he greeted me.

As we walked off, starting towards the beach area, Peter was eating M&M candy. He held out the sack to

offer me some. I let him shake a handful into my palm, and popped them all in my mouth.

"I don't think Sasha's started school yet," I told him.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I'll make you a deal," I told him. "Once she starts, and I see her around the school, I'll let you know if she

gives me any problem. Okay?"

"So, you don't want me walking back and forth with you, huh?" Peter asked me, tipping the candy sack up to pour

the candy down his throat. Then he turned and gave me a pretend sad-face, as if I'd wounded his feelings.

"Pete," I said, giving him a mock-stern gaze. "Come on."

"Okay, okay," he relented. "But, you'll tell me if she starts something, promise?"

"Promise," I told him.

"We got a job tonight," he told me. "For some birthday party at the community center."

"That's great," I said, with enthusiasm. I was always glad when the guys were able to get a 'real' job playing their

music.

"Yeah. And dinner is thrown in for the deal. So, you gotta come with us."

"What're they having for the dinner?" I asked.

"What's the diff?" he joked. "You know you'll devour whatever it is."

My hearty appetite had become a well-known target for joking amongst the guys.

"So true," I agreed, and grinned at Peter.

MMPD

Once at home, I did my homework while the guys were rehearsing some more, and then gathering up all their

instruments and stuff to get ready to go. I put my books and things away, in order to help them load up. On the ride

to the community center, across town, the guys harmonized while we drove. I thought they sounded fantastic, and when they

were finished, I told them so.

Mike broke into a hum, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. "That's off," he said, and just like that, all four of them

began again, echoing the notes that Mike had been humming.

I sat back in the seat, listening, and in awe at how in-tune with one another that they were. I didn't mean in-tune as in singing in tune. I

meant in-tune as in understanding one another without really having to say anything.

Once we were at the community center, they began setting up, getting ready to perform. I helped, too, and then went to sit down

and wait for them to finish. They were greeted by the parents and grandparents of the girl whose birthday party it was. She

looked as though she was about my age, maybe.

They served spaghetti for dinner, with lots of garlic bread. I ate a bunch, sitting in between Pete and Micky. I watched the girl whose

party it was, as she floated around, talking to everyone. Her hair was done in some sort of twist thing, and her dress was short and swirled

when she walked.

My own skirt was short, too, and I had no problem with it. It was as fashionable as anything else that other girls wore. Belinda had

made certain that I was equipped with proper clothing for the start of school.

"That's a nice dress that she's wearin'," Micky said, leaning over to talk to me, and nodding at the girl.

I gave Micky a surprised look, raising my eyebrows at him.

"Well?" he asked. "Isn't it?"

"Yeah," I said, looking back at the girl again. "It's pretty."

"You should have a dress like that," Peter tossed in.

"Where would I wear it?" I pointed out. "Seriously, I don't need a dress like that."

"But, you like it," Micky insisted. "I can tell."

"I like it," I admitted. "But, I still wouldn't have anywhere that I could wear it."

"Let's go, guys," Mike said, standing up. And, they all got up, heading up to the stage, to begin the show.

I listened to them, feeling proud. They were really terrific. At one point, I got up to go and get myself something to drink.

There was a punch bowl, and there were bottles of Coke, too, in a bowl filled with ice.

I took a bottle of Coke, and took off the bottle cap.

"Want to dance?" a voice behind me asked. I turned to look up. Way up. This boy was tall.

I didn't know how to do any of the dances. Taking care of Gramps, and then with everything that happened after that, being

practically homeless, and all the stuff with Sasha, well, I'd just never learned.

"Um, no, thanks," I told him.

"You sure?" he asked, and he smiled.

He had a nice smile. It made me wish that I could dance with him.

"I'm sure," I said. "But, thanks."

"What's your name?" he asked, quieter, and I couldn't hear him over the music.

"What?" I asked.

"What's your name?" he asked, louder.

"Beth."

"I'm Ben."

"Hi."

"Hi."

We were still standing there, next to each other, making small talk, over the music, when the birthday girl came

swirling over. "Ben, come and dance with me," she coaxed, slipping her arm thru his. Her voice was one of those really high-pitched ones that

can grate on a person's nerves.

"Janie, this is Beth," he said, nodding to me.

"Do I know you, Beth?" the girl asked me. In other words, she was letting me know that she didn't know me at all, and

wondered how I'd come to be at her party. She was so snooty about asking that I wished I could tell her what I thought.

"No. You don't," I said. "I came with the guys. The band."

"Oh. Well, they're terrific," she said, and I decided that I would rein in my urge to tell her off.

"Yeah. They are," I said.

"How do you know them?" she asked, curiously.

I wouldn't have minded explaining things to someone else, who was nicer. But, even though she'd complimented the

guys, I didn't like her. So, I had no intention of explaining my relationship with them to her.

"We're friends," I said shortly.

"Lucky you," she said. "They're super cute. All of them."

She tugged on Ben. "Come on, Ben," she said, and he smiled at me.

"Nice to meet you," he told me.

"You, too," I managed, before Janie hauled him away. They began dancing then, and I couldn't help wishing, again, that

I could dance like that.

MMPD

Once the party was wrapping up, I saw the man who I imagined was Janie's father, as he handed some money to Mike.

Mike tucked the money into his pocket, and I went to help them dismantle things, feeling glad that they'd gotten paid.

I knew how Mike worried about money, so this was sure to ease his mind, at least somewhat.

Once we were on the way home, the guys were effervescent, in high spirits, like they usually are after a successful show.

"What'd you think?" Micky asked, nudging me in the ribs.

"You were amazing," I said, and I meant it.

"We can always count on you, Bethie," Davy said, from the front seat.

"Well, the birthday girl thought you were great, too," I said.

"Did she?" Davy asked, turning to look back at me.

"Yep. And she says you're all 'super cute'," I added, talking in a high-pitched voice like Janie had.

Davy and Micky laughed at that.

"Who's the guy?" Peter asked me. "The one you were talking to?"

"Just a boy," I said. "I think he must be Janie's boyfriend, or something."

"Who's Janie?" Peter asked, sounding confused.

"The birthday girl."

"Oh. Was he nice?" Peter asked.

"I only talked to him for a minute," I protested.

"You'd still know if you thought he was nice," Pete insisted.

"Yes. He seemed nice. He asked me to dance."

As soon as I said it, I wished that I hadn't. I had all their attentions.

"He did?" Micky asked.

"What'd you say?" Davy asked.

"I said no," I told them.

"How come?" Peter asked.

"Because."

"Because why?" Davy kept on.

"I didn't want to make a fool of myself," I said.

"Why would you?" Micky asked.

"Yeah. Why would you?" Davy echoed.

"When a person doesn't know how to dance, and they try to dance, then yeah, they make a fool of themselves," I told them.

For a long few moments there was silence. Sudden, total silence.

"You don't know how to dance?" Micky asked, peering at me in the darkness of the car. He sounded positively shocked.

"No. I don't know how to dance," I said.

"Well," Davy said.

"Yeah," Pete said.

"Unacceptable," Micky said.

"That will need to be remedied," Peter said.

"Without hesitation," Davy said.

"What are you guys talking about?" I demanded.

"We are going to teach you to dance," Micky said.

MMPD


End file.
